Q: My son, now in the 3rd grade, has suffered from anxiety most of his life. This is not a situational anxiety; it affects him in every area of his life. He reacts strongly to transitions, new experiences, and unfamiliar social settings (sports teams, play dates at others' homes, etc.). As a result he shies away from anything he perceives as stressful. The question is how hard do I push him against his anxiety? Is there benefit to forcing him to play a sport, for instance in order to build tolerance (and in the end build up positive endorphins) or does this place him in a stress-inducing situation that is beyond his capacity to handle? Where's the operating manual?!